Bill Cartwright

James William Cartwright (born July 30, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player and a former coach. A center, he played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics, helping the Bulls capture consecutive championships in the 1991, 1992 and 1993 seasons. He attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, California, and played college basketball for the San Francisco Dons. Following his playing career, he served as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, the Osaka Evessa of the bj League and the Mexico men's national basketball team as well as an assistant coach for several years in the NBA.

Early life James William Cartwright was born to James and Marie Cartwright on July 30, 1957, in Lodi, California.

In high school, Cartwright played basketball for the Elk Grove Thundering Herd under coach Dan Risley. With Cartwright on the squad, the team went undefeated in the 1973–1974 season and was named the best high school basketball team in California in both 1974 and 1975. In 1975, Elk Grove won the NorCal Tournament of Champions. In 1974 and 1975, Cartwright was named California High School State Basketball Player of the Year. In 1975, he was named California High School Sports Athlete of the Year.

As a prep star, Cartwright was just as highly regarded as fellow preps Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby.

Cartwright graduated from Elk Grove High School in 1975. Cartwright led San Francisco to three trips to the NCAA tournament, to the first round in the 1977 and to the Sweet Sixteen in both 1978 and 1979. . Year Team W-L G FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% RBs Avg Pts Avg 1976 22–8 30 151 282 53.0 72 98 73.5 207 6.9 374 12.5 1977 29–2 31 241 426 56.6 118 161 73.3 262 8.5 600 19.4 1978 23–6 21 168 252 66.7 96 131 73.3 213 10.2 432 20.6 1979 22–7 29 268 443 60.6 174 237 73.4 455 15.7 710 24.5 Total 96–23 111 828 1406 58.9 460 627 73.4 1137 10.2 2116 19.1

Professional career

New York Knicks (1979–1988) Cartwright was the third overall pick in the 1979 NBA draft selected by the New York Knicks, making his only career All-Star Game appearance in his first season. He averaged over 20 points per game in his first two seasons for the Knicks, but after playing at least 77 games in each of his first five seasons, a series of foot injuries caused him to miss the 1984–1985 season. Following that season, the Knicks drafted center Patrick Ewing with the number-one overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft. However, ongoing foot problems limited Cartwright to only two appearances during the 1985–1986 season. When Cartwright returned for the 1986–1987 season, he and Ewing often started and played together but during the 1987–1988 season Cartwright was relegated to the bench.

Chicago Bulls (1988–1994)

On June 15, 1988, Cartwright was traded along with two draft picks to the Chicago Bulls for forward Charles Oakley and two draft picks. The Bulls were willing to part with Oakley, the league's second-leading rebounder in the 1986–87 and 1987–88 seasons, because they needed a center and given the rapid development of power forward Horace Grant.

Cartwright was the Bulls' starting center during their string of three consecutive NBA championships in 1991, 1992 and 1993. During the 1992–93 season, Cartwright was elbowed in the throat during a regular-season game against the Indiana Pacers; his larynx fractured and he was left with a hoarse voice. He had multiple surgeries performed by Robert Sataloff to restore his ability to speak.

The Bulls, who were without Michael Jordan the following season following his retirement, made the 1994 NBA playoffs but were eliminated in a controversial game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Knicks. Cartwright departed the team thereafter as an unrestricted free agent.

Seattle SuperSonics (1994–1995) Cartwright left the Bulls as a free agent and signed with the Seattle SuperSonics. He only played in 29 games for the Sonics, and retired after the 1994–95 NBA season.

Coaching career A year after his retirement, Cartwright joined the Bulls again as an assistant coach under Phil Jackson ahead of the 1996–97 NBA season. He was a member of the championship-winning teams in 1997 and 1998. The Bulls underwent significant changes following the 1997–98 season, with not only Jordan and Pippen leaving, but Tim Floyd taking over as head coach. The Bulls had a lengthy rebuilding effort, and Cartwright took over as interim head coach of the Bulls 27 games into the 2001–02 season, going 17–38 after the team's 4–23 start under Floyd and interim head coach Bill Berry, who served in that position for two games before Cartwright. The Bulls finished 21–61 that year and the following season Cartwright was promoted from interim to permanent head coach. In the 2002–03 season the Bulls finished 30–52, but Cartwright only lasted 14 games into the 2003–04 season — going 4–10 — before being fired. Pete Myers and finally Scott Skiles coached the Bulls immediately following Cartwright's tenure.

In 2004, the New Jersey Nets hired Cartwright as an assistant coach under Lawrence Frank. In 2008, Cartwright was named an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns under Terry Porter. Suns general manager Steve Kerr hired the former big man to help coach veteran big man Shaquille O'Neal, all-star Amar'e Stoudemire, and upcoming draft picks. After the Suns dismissed Porter and promoted assistant Alvin Gentry, Cartwright remained as assistant coach with the team.

In January 2013, Cartwright was hired to coach Osaka Evessa of the Japanese bj league. There, he was credited with turning the franchise around. When Cartwright arrived, Evessa had lost 19 of its 24 games. With Cartwright at the helm, the team won 17 of its final 28 games, including 10 straight at one point, posting a 22–30 record for the season. He did not return the following season, citing his desire to be closer to his family in Chicago.

In September 2014, Cartwright was hired as the head coach of the Mexico men's national basketball team ahead of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, replacing recently fired Sergio Valdeolmillos. Five months later, he was replaced by Eddie Casiano who himself was fired after only two months without coaching a game and replaced by the aforementioned Valdeolmillos.

Personal life Cartwright married his junior high school sweetheart, Sheri, and together they have four children (Justin, Jason, James and Kristin). He also has two grandchildren. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from USF and later obtained a master's degree in organization development in 1998 from the same institution. In 2016, Cartwright became USF's director of university initiatives.

Cartwright is an avid fan of doo-wop music from the 1950s and 1960s, and plays guitar and collects transistor radios as hobbies.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Head coaching record

NBA

Japan